A judge has ruled that Google must remove the anti-Muslim film Innocence of Muslims from YouTube as the video infringes upon an actress' copyright.
The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals made the ruling on Wednesday after a 2-1 decision, reports San Jose Mercury News. The controversial video previously set off several protests when it was released.
Google had argued that being forced to remove the video would trample the company's First Amendment protections, while actress Cindy Lee Garcia claimed she was tricked into being in the film and had copyright of her appearance.
She thought she had been paid to appear in a movie called Desert Warrior, which was never released. She later learned her scene was included in the anti-Muslim film where she is dubbed over defaming the prophet Mohammed.
The court sided with her partially because of the death threats she has received for being in the film, but also seemed to agree with her argument. "This is a troubling case," Chief Judge Alex Kozinski wrote in the ruling. Garcia was duped into providing an artistic performance that was used in a way she never could have foreseen."
According to New York Daily News, Garcia had originally tried to get the video pulled in 2012, but a judge denied her request as it was felt that copyright went to the director, Mark Basseley Youssef.
Google "strongly disagrees with this ruling and will fight it," a spokesman said. The case can be reheard with a larger 11-person panel, if Google makes a request.